The present invention relates to a vehicle or a stationary power plant.
In a vehicle or a stationary power plant, an array of components and units, such as crankcase, cylinder heads, radiators, and containers, which have a medium that is accommodated in a closed loop flowing through them is disposed on the internal combustion engine which forms a drive or motive power source, and in its surroundings. In the case of a cooling loop, providing electrical auxiliary units, via which the coolant is heatable, is known for improving the cold start behavior of the internal combustion engine and for more rapid availability of heating warmth. These electrical auxiliary heaters are typically relatively expensive and load the energy-providing battery because of their high energy demand, Such electrical auxiliary heaters are also provided, for example, for those cases when the coolant loop of the internal combustion engine is also used for thawing a urea-water solution (used as an ammonia provider for NO2 reduction in SCR catalytic converters) which is stored in a container and freezes at temperatures below approximately −12° C. Because the battery is particularly strongly loaded in the event of low negative temperatures which exist over a long period of time or, in specific areas of the world, always, electrical auxiliary heaters for coolant water heating are to be put into operation only as long as absolutely necessary if possible. For the remainder of the internal combustion engine or vehicle operating time, they are not needed.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide means for a vehicle or a stationary power plant of the aforementioned general type according to the species which allow electrical auxiliary heaters for heating a medium accommodated in a closed loop to be dispensed with.